WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - JULY 15, 2026
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Trump Report Aims to Restore Faith in Public Life
“President Donald Trump received a major report last week aimed at defending the faith of everyday Americans. His Religious Liberty Commission delivered its final report during an Oval Office meeting on Friday, June 26. The plan lays out bold steps to protect the First Amendment rights of believers across the country.” Read more at Million Voices…
THINK.
- Religious liberty is not a favor the government grants; it is a God-given freedom the First Amendment was written to protect. When a teacher is told to hide a cross or a service member loses a pension over a matter of conscience, the problem is not that the law fails to protect faith. It is that officials use fear to pressure believers into silence. A report that names these abuses and calls for real accountability is a welcome and overdue defense of that freedom.
- The commission’s twelve recommendations move from words to action. A Justice Department task force, “Know Your Rights” resources, and a 30-day rule forcing officials to justify any charge of improper religious expression would put teeth behind the promises of the Constitution. Believers should welcome enforcement that treats faith not as a threat to be managed but as a liberty to be guarded.
- The boldest step is the call to clarify “separation of church and state,” a phrase found nowhere in the Constitution. For decades that misunderstanding was used to scrub faith from public life. As John Adams warned, our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. A nation that cuts itself off from God should not expect to keep the freedoms He secured.
PRAY.
Father, thank You for leaders willing to defend the faith of everyday Americans. Grant wisdom to those shaping this report and courage to those who have paid a price for standing firm. Guard the free exercise of religion in our schools, our workplaces, and our public square, and remind us that liberty is Your gift, to be renewed in every generation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Contact your congressional representatives and urge them to support stronger religious liberty protections and the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which limits how churches and pastors can speak about the issues of the day. Share this story with your church so believers understand what is at stake, and pray for the leaders shaping this policy that they would defend the free exercise of faith in every corner of public life.
Iran’s Underground Church Is Quietly Exploding
“While the news fills with missiles, ceasefires, and the price of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a quieter and far more hopeful story is unfolding inside Iran. Beneath the surface of war, countless Iranians are turning to Jesus Christ. This is no small trend. Iran is now home to one of the fastest-growing Christian movements on earth, and it is happening in one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. It is a story the secular media often misses, but it is one every believer should know.” Read more at Million Voices…
THINK.
- While headlines fixate on missiles and ceasefires, God is doing something the cameras miss. In a nation where leaving Islam can mean arrest or worse, more than a million Iranians are estimated to have come to Christ in recent years. What men intended for harm, God is using for good. No regime, no law, and no army can stop the Lord from drawing people to Himself.
- The Iranian church has grown precisely because it cannot rely on buildings, budgets, or legal protection. Believers gather in homes, spread leadership so one arrest cannot topple a network, and pass the Gospel from one heart to the next. Many describe dreams of Jesus, healings, and freedom from addiction. Their faith is not lukewarm, and that should challenge those of us who worship freely to ask how deeply we treasure the same Savior.
- This story is both hopeful and urgent. A wounded regime clinging to power often lumps Christians in with its enemies, so rising tension with Israel can bring harsher crackdowns on believers. Even as bombs fell, house churches kept meeting and opened their doors to the wounded and the fleeing. Their courage under fire is a witness to a watching nation, and it calls the wider church to stand with them.
PRAY.
Lord, we lift up our brothers and sisters in Iran who follow You at the risk of their lives. Protect the house churches, strengthen their leaders, and continue the revival You have begun in that land. Where the regime intends harm, work good. Comfort the persecuted, embolden the fearful, and stir us who worship freely to treasure the freedom we so easily take for granted. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Pray boldly for protection, courage, and continued revival in Iran, and pray with open eyes for believers who may face an even heavier season of persecution ahead. Support ministries serving the Iranian church through discipleship and humanitarian work, and share this story so more Christians see the deeper story behind the headlines and lift up the underground church in prayer.
Delaware Backs Down in Pro-Life Center Case
“A group of pro-life pregnancy centers has secured a major victory in Delaware. State officials have agreed to permanently stop enforcing a law that forced these centers to post government-written disclaimers. The agreement, reached in late June, ends a legal battle that began more than a year ago.” Read more at Million Voices…
THINK.
- This is a real and lasting win for life and for free speech. Senate Bill 300 forced pro-life pregnancy centers to post government-scripted disclaimers that undercut their own mission, a burden aimed at them and not at abortion providers. Compelled speech is just as dangerous as censorship, because a government that can force you to say something can also punish you for what you believe.
- The victory came through a permanent, binding court order, not a trial. Delaware never admitted the law was unconstitutional, but it agreed to stop enforcing it and to pay the centers’ legal team $50,000. The reason it backed down matters: the law was nearly a copy of a California measure the Supreme Court already struck down in NIFLA v. Becerra. When the Constitution is on your side, states run out of ground to stand on.
- Delaware is one front in a nationwide battle. Pro-life centers have faced pressure in New Jersey, New York, Washington, California, and Vermont, yet the pushback keeps winning in court. These centers offer counseling, ultrasounds, diapers, parenting classes, and adoption support, and they ask nothing in return. Scripture calls God’s people to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and these centers do exactly that every single day.
PRAY.
Father, we thank You for this victory and for the men and women who serve mothers and babies without asking anything in return. Protect the pro-life centers still under pressure across the country, and raise up courageous advocates to defend both the sanctity of life and the freedom to speak. Let this win be one more sign that the tide is turning, and that every life is worth protecting. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Support a pro-life pregnancy center near you with your time, your gifts, or a donation, since these ministries run on the generosity of God’s people. Contact your state and congressional representatives to oppose compelled-speech laws that target pro-life centers, and share this Delaware victory so believers know these battles can be won and are encouraged to keep speaking up for the unborn.
Johnson: Congress Must Act on Birthright Citizenship
“Speaker Mike Johnson says Congress must now take up the issue of birthright citizenship. His call comes just days after the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s effort to end the practice by executive order. The move signals that Republican leaders are shifting the fight from the White House to Capitol Hill.” Read more at Million Voices…
THINK.
- On June 30, the Supreme Court blocked the executive order limiting automatic citizenship, with six justices ruling against it and three in dissent. But the loss was not the whole story. Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed the order was unlawful yet tied his reasoning to a 1940 federal law, suggesting Congress could create exceptions for children born to parents here illegally or only temporarily. That single opinion is the narrow door Republicans now hope to walk through.
- Speaker Johnson says his conference is looking at every angle, and Trump has urged lawmakers to act without delay. Yet conservatives themselves disagree on the path. Some, like Rep. Brian Babin, believe a simple law can redefine “subject to the jurisdiction.” Others, like Senator Eric Schmitt, argue only a constitutional amendment will survive a court challenge. Even scholar John Eastman warns that because five justices tied their ruling to the Constitution, a quick statutory fix could be struck down.
- This is not a small or passing matter. It touches secure borders, the rule of law, and the very meaning of citizenship, concerns that sit close to the hearts of people of faith who love this country. The debate reaches back to the 1898 Wong Kim Ark decision and will shape American citizenship for generations. The Court has spoken, but the final word may rest with Congress, or even the states, and every voice truly matters.
PRAY.
Lord, we ask for wisdom for Speaker Johnson, the president, and every lawmaker weighing this weighty question. Grant them discernment to honor both justice and mercy, respect for the rule of law, and humility where honest disagreement remains. Guard the hearts of those affected by these decisions, and may our leaders seek Your counsel above their own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Stay informed as this debate moves from the White House to Capitol Hill and possibly to the states. Contact your senators and representative to share your view on how citizenship should be defined and defended, and urge them to proceed with both conviction and care. Pray for wisdom for our leaders, and share this story so your community understands what is being decided.
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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